Friday, May 20, 2011

Cynsational News & Giveaways

Zach lives with his grandparents on a remote island in Puget Sound in Washington State. With only his little brother, Gilbert, to keep him company, Zach feels cut off from the world.

But when Gilbert is kidnapped, Zach tries the only thing he can think of to find him: astral projection. Soon, his spirit is soaring through the strange and boundless astral realm—a shadow place. While searching for his brother, Zach meets a boy named Emory, another astral traveler who's intriguing (and cute).

As Zach and Emory track the kidnappers from the astral realm, their bond grows, but each moment could be Gilbert's last. Even worse, there's a menacing, centuries-old creature in their midst that devours souls and possesses physical bodies. And it's hungry for Zach.

Brent says: "I wanted to write an outright supernatural thriller that involved gay teens as leading characters, because that seemed like something fresh and different. I'd like to think their being gay informs the story, but it doesn't define it."

To enter, comment on this post and include an email address (formatted like: cynthia at cynthialeitichsmith dot com) or a link to an email address. In the alternative, you may email me (scroll and click envelope)and type "Shadow Walkers" in the subject line. Deadline: midnight CST May 27. Note: Author sponsored; U.S.-Canada entries only.

Why It's Important to Stay Positive by Salima Alikhan. Peek: "If you have the capacity to step back from your work, see it as an entity separate from yourself, critique it objectively—all while loving it tenderly and being brokenhearted over it and praying every day that it bears fruit and cradling it like a baby—you are a remarkable human being."

Cynsational Blogger Tip: Use specific, content-focused post titles rather than overly vague ones, teasers that don't pay off and/or side comments. For example, "Well..." is not a great post title for click-through. "Guest Post: P. J. Hoover on When Your Agent Is Your Editor"is a great post title for click-through.

Great Novels Aren't Written--They're Rewritten by Danyelle Leafty from QueryTracker.net Blog. Peek: "Having an everything-is-optional attitude from the beginning is freeing. It allows me to draft with less fuss, because I'm not so worried about making everything perfect the first time. And it helps with the revisions...."

(Book) Siblings Are Good. Twins Can Be Trouble. by Jennifer Laughran from Jennifer Represents. Peek: "...an agent's list can really only have so many of one type of book before it starts getting boring and repetitive. And as far as specific plots and such, one will do."

Rejection Redux by Marlo Garnsworthy from Wordy Birdie. Peek: "I was sifting through the pile this morning and found six 'positive' rejections for a picture book I’d shelved some time ago. Now I’m thinking it might be time to get that text out and revise it." See also Sherrie Peterson on the Magic Rejection Number from Adventures in Children's Publishing. Source: QueryTracker.netBlog.

Beyond Orcs and Elves: Diversity in Science Fiction and Fantasy for Young Readers by Stacy Whitman from Stacy Whitman's Grimoire. Peek: "You may or may not know that fantasy as a genre started long before Tolkien was born. In fact, people have been telling fantasy stories for as long as there have been people." See also part 2; peek: "There’s a privilege situation that means that most of the demographic writing books aren’t necessarily the same demographic as the kids looking for books in our schools and libraries."

Selling Out in Writing YA Books by Adam Selzer from Author2Author. Peek: "The real challenge for me is to write something that I know is marketable, but which I still like and feel is my own. This can be a fun challenge."

It Was Easier the First Time by Robison Wells from Crowe's Nest. Peek: "Not that there's anything I really want to change, but there are a few details that, as I was writing it, I thought were minor. But now that I'm writing the sequel I realize that those things are really important."Cynsational Author Tip: On your official website, include the publisher, publication date, and ISBNs for each of your books. If applicable, also include a link to your book's author, co-author(s), illustrator, anthologist, etc., and if you're an anthologist, list all of the contributors as well.Hunger Mountain: A VCFA Journal of the Arts

To enter the giveaway, comment at this post (click link) and include an email address (formatted like: cynthia at cynthialeitichsmith dot com) or a link to an email address or email me (scroll and click envelope) and type "Owl Keeper" in the subject line. Deadline: midnight CST May 27. Note: Author sponsored; U.S.-Canada entries only. See Christine on Writing Scary But Not Too Scary for Tweens.

In celebration of the Diversity in YA Fiction Tour, enter to win a copy of two, randomly selected books by participating authors! To enter the giveaway, comment at this post (click link) and include an email address (formatted like: cynthia at cynthialeitichsmith dot com) or email me (scroll and click envelope) and type "Diversity" in the subject line. Deadline: midnight CST May 27. Note: author-sponsored; U.S. entries only.

In other news, the winner of an author-autographed copy of Noodle & Lou by Liz Garton Scanlon, illustrated by Arthur Howard (Beach Lane, 2011) is Varsha in Houston.Cynsational Manuscript Critique Giveaway Reminder

Her response will include a thirty-minute phone call with the author and short, written notes about the submitted work, which can be fiction, nonfiction, or chapter book.

The winner will have two weeks to submit an excerpt for critique. The phone call/feedback will occur within a week after that.

Submissions should be writing targeted to young readers, ages 8 and up (middle grade or YA). The phone call may also touch on any questions the author has about the audience or market for the book, the publishing and submitting process, etc. In other words, anything the author wants to cover!

To enter, comment at Elizabeth and Allen's interview and include an email address (formatted like: cynthia at cynthialeitichsmith dot com) or a link to an email address. In the alternative, you may email me with "Elizabeth and Allen" in the subject line.

An extra entry will go to those who comment to ask Elizabeth and/or Allen a thoughtful question or make another, related thoughtful comment. Additional extra entries will go to those who tweet, blog, or otherwise promote this link/giveaway. Please indicate your efforts/URLs in your comment. Enter deadline: May 31. This giveaway is international--writers from all over the world are eligible.Austin Scene

Inside the Writer's Studio with Chris Barton by Bethany Hegedus from Writer Friendly, Bookshelf Approved. Peek: "Some of the challenges in that were offering up an engaging second-person voice that was tweaked slightly from subject to subject but was still consistent across the entire book; finding the material that would allow me to recreate these actual scenes, including dialogue, without fabricating or fictionalizing; and blending the action with the reflection, shifting from one to the other, in a way that felt natural and believable and realistic."

Who are these mysterious undercover children's-YA authors, A, B, and C?

More Personally

Happy news! My Candlewick editor has sent my latest revision of the fourth book in the Tantalize series off to copy editing. We still have line edits and pass pages and what not, but big picture, it's nearing final shape.

Consequently, I've been taking a couple of weeks to catch up on author/business work, and I'll be starting work on Smolder on June 1.

About

New York Times & Publishers Weekly best-selling, award-winning author the Tantalize series, the Feral series and other critically acclaimed fiction for young readers. She/her. MFA Faculty, Vermont College of Fine Arts. Board member, We Need Diverse Books. Ohonvyetv!

Intern

Intern

Robin Galbraith holds an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts.

Intern

Kate Pentecost holds an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts. She is the YA author of Elysium Girls (Hyperion, winter 2020). Kate is represented by Sara Crowe of Pippin Properties.